There were about two hundred of them.
"We went fast, but in two hours we saw the Bairds coming in pursuit;
and as it was clear that they would overtake us, hampered as we were
with the cattle, we stood and made defence. There was not much
difference in numbers, for the Bairds had not had time to gather in all
their strength. The fight was a stiff one. On our side Percy Hope was
killed, and John Liddel so sorely wounded that there is no hope of his
life. We had sixteen men killed outright, and few of us but are more or
less scarred. On their side Allan Baird was killed; and John was
smitten down, but how sorely wounded I cannot say for certain, for they
put him on a horse, and took him away at once. They left twenty behind
them on the ground dead; and the rest, finding that we were better men
than they, rode off again.
"William Baird himself had not come up. His hold was too far for the
news to have reached him, as we knew well enough; but doubtless he came
up, with his following, a few hours after we had beaten his kinsmen.
But we have ridden too fast for him to overtake us. We struck off north
as soon as we crossed the border, travelled all night by paths by which
they will find it difficult to follow or track us, especially as we
broke up into four parties, and each chose their own way.
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